The Posting Board
by RositaLG
Summary: A collection of the miscellaneous snippets, one-shots, Tweet!fic, etc. that have no home. No rhyme or reason, just random fic.
1. The Game in the Garage

A/N: Happy summer everyone! Or at least, everyone in my hemisphere! Remember when I said I would be cleaning out my notes file? The time has come. There will be zero themes here. Some canon, some not. Some one-shots, some snippets, some old Tweet!fic from Twitter. It's like fic roulette. So, step right up, spin the wheel and see what appears!

OOOOO

Booth felt her gaze on him before she made her presence known. As a sniper, he was trained to be hyper-aware, but with her, it was instinctual. He always felt her when she was near and in these last few weeks since they had started sleeping together, the sense had become even stronger. It was damn near electric at this point. He kept working, willing to let her make the first move.

"It's hot out here." She finally spoke. He stood up and grabbed a rag for his oil-covered hands before turning around.

"Supposed to hit 95 this afternoon." He mentioned as he wiped his hands clean.

"I brought you a beer." She offered as she held it out to him.

"Thanks." He smiled as he took it from her. He paused as he noticed the once over she was giving him. His old jeans and faded t-shirt wasn't exactly his best look but there was something thrilling in the way she took him in and damn if he wasn't feeling desired.

"So, how's it _coming_?" She asked. Booth was glad that he hadn't taken a sip of his beer yet because he most certainly would have choked on it. Her question was in sharp contrast to the innocent looking wrap dress she was wearing. He knew from experience that it was a deceiving piece of clothing. On the outside, it looked like something an elementary teacher would wear but one tug on that sash and he had a suspicion that she would be completely naked before him.

"She's feeling feisty." He commented on both the car and the woman standing in his garage. He accepted the cold beer and took a long swig, hoping it would distract his lips from their current craving.

"The car is a she?" Brennan raised her eyebrow as she leaned back against the tool bench. Booth's brain briefly imagined lifting her just a little higher and setting her down on that bench and….

"All cars are female." He replied, his voice giving his thoughts away. He watched as her genius brain filed the fact away for future knowledge while simultaneously picking up the filthy thoughts emanating from him.

"Well, I'm a woman." She stated, as if he needed the reminder in that moment. "Maybe I could help." She walked nonchalantly from her place against the bench but her hips swayed like she was walking on stilettos.

How did she do that?

Brennan placed her hands on the front of the car and peered at the engine, bending over ever so slightly in front of him.

"What seems to be the problem?" She asked.

He knew what she was doing but two could play that game.

"Problems." He corrected as he moved forward, placing his left hand on her hip. She barely glanced down at the action but Booth saw the spark of surprise in her eyes that he was touching her. He took the opportunity to glide the cotton material over her skin innocently.

Yep, she definitely was naked under that dress.

Booth used his free hand to point to the engine as he explained all of the issues he needed to fix. Her sidelong glances to his forearm did not go unnoticed. He couldn't see her face but he could feel the heat radiating between them and he knew that she was trying a bit too hard to play it cool.

"I've tried everything to get her pistons firing. If I could just get her warmed up, I'd have her humming in no time." He promised, his voice rough, but smooth, like fine-grained sandpaper.

"Sounds like a lot of work." She commented softly, her own voice a notch deeper than before. "I hope you like getting your hands dirty."

"The good ones are worth the trouble." He whispered in her hair. "Eventually, she's going to be one hell of a ride." His hand gripped her hip a bit tighter.

"You'll have to take me." Brennan purred as she brushed her backside against Booth's denim-clad erection. "When she's ready, of course. I'm quite adept at driving a stick."

I bet you are, Booth thought as Brennan finally turned around to face him. Her eyes were glazed over with lust and he wanted nothing more than to give in and let her win this little game she was playing. She must have seen the way he was looking at her because she snapped out of her own thoughts.

"Well, you have a lot of work to do. I'll leave you to it." Brennan stated as she turned and began walking away. She only made it a few steps.

"Hey, Bones." He called out to her. She paused and slowly turned around. He crooked his finger and slowly motioned for her to come back to the garage. She must have thought that she had won because she strutted back towards him.

"Yes?" She asked, stopping inches from him. The challenge on his space was not lost on him but he wasn't about to give in.

"If you wanted me to be involved in your dirty mechanic fantasy, all you had to do was ask." He informed her with a smirk.

"What?" She had the decency to look offended by his statement before giving her flimsy excuse. "I think someone else is doing the fantasizing. I was just bringing you a beer." She defended, sticking to her story.

"Oh, really?" He countered, motioning up and down across her outfit as if that was the only proof he needed.

"Really." He watched as her chin jutted forward ever so slightly. She wasn't going to back down.

"Alright." He said, raising his hands and taking a step back. "You just sort of looked like you were imagining my dirty hands smudging grease across your pale back as I took you right here in the garage." He took another sip of his beer as her eyes flashed defiantly. Still, he could tell that he was getting warmer. Brennan had to look away for a moment before making her next move. When she did, she closed the distance between them and pressed her entire body against his.

"Actually, I was thinking that you look exactly the same working out here as you do when you're inside me." She countered. "That thin sheen of sweat covering your body. That focused face concentrating on the task at hand. Engines revving…" She trailed off.

Booth pressed her into the nearest wall but she wasn't surprised by the sudden action. Instead, he felt her stance widen, daring him to take the next step. He glanced down at the sash one last time, his fingers itching to pull the dress open.

"Booth…" She spurred him on as her tongue darted out to wet her lips in anticipation. She reached for his t-shirt but he swatted her hand away.

"No." He scolded. She frowned at being denied access to her favorite part of his body. "You want to play? Then let's play." He said gamely. "That was why you came out here, wasn't it?" She was too busy biting back her lip in frustration to answer. "So what was your plan, Bones?" He insisted before making another move. "I know you had one. What were you expecting me to do?" He asked. "Fall at your feet? Throw you over my shoulder?" She shook her head.

"I wanted to know if we still had it." She relented.

"Had what?" He asked, not following.

"The tension, the banter, like before." Her thoughts were cloudy, more evidence of her sexual frustration.

"Before we were allowed to tear each other's clothes off whenever we felt this way." He finished for her.

"Yes." She answered quickly. He nodded once, finally understanding. He was an experiment.

"And what was your conclusion?" He whispered, mere centimeters from her lips by this point.

"I prefer the sexual release." She confessed.

"Good answer." Booth said as he finally let go and kissed her. She answered hungrily as her hands shoved his t-shirt up and over his head. He fumbled with his fly but her tongue demanded his attention once again. He moaned, unable to resist the taste of her. He must have been able to work on auto-pilot because the next thing he knew, he was slipping inside her warm, wet, center. His hands gripped her hips as he held her against the wall and thrust all the way into her.

"_Yes_." She moaned her encouragement in his ear. The luscious noise sent vibrations throughout Booth's entire body and he immediately did it again, hoping for the same reaction. "More," she begged. "Harder, faster…" She pressed into him, desperate for release. Her hands tangled in his hair as he kissed her neck and took her just the way she wanted to be taken. From head to toe, he was pulsing with need and there was no control left when she completely shattered around him. Almost simultaneously, his grateful body let go as he buried his face in her neck and emptied himself inside her.

When the buzzing in his head subsided, all he could hear was her soft panting in his ear. Their limp bodies were still entwined but Booth feared what might happen if either one of them moved.

"Mother of God." He finally croaked and he felt her giggle against his chest. "Are you okay?" He asked as she finally put her feet back on the ground.

"Never better." She assured him as he zipped up his pants again. "We clearly had no idea what we were missing before." She grinned. He took a good long look at her happy and relaxed face and he couldn't help but kiss her softly.

"You're one of a kind, Bones." He murmured. She blushed slightly before pulling away from him and straightening herself out. He was certain that she heard what he was really saying, but he wasn't going to say it first. She pulled herself together and turned around to face him once more.

"What are the chances of you going back to work?" She asked him with a new glint in her eye. Booth felt his breath catch in his chest.

"Now? Zero." He told her honestly.

"Good, because we both need a shower and I've got some plumber fantasies I've been dying to try out." She teased as she tugged him back towards the house.


	2. You are what you wear

A/N: You know those moments when you're just about asleep and BAM! You get an idea. And if you don't write it down immediately, you know you'll lose it? That's what these are. I wrote them in the middle of the night and I think most of them turned into Tweet!fic but I can't remember. Enjoy!

OOOOO

Brennan wore a trench coat.

Immaculately clean, beautiful, with precise definitions, it suited her. However, it also had a long layer of buttons and a belt to keep the cruel, cold, harsh world at bay. She was safe in her trench coat. No one had ever tried to undo the belt and unbutton her to find the real woman underneath.

At least, not until him.

OOOOO

Booth wore silly socks.

They were funny, charming, colorful, maybe even flirty if the situation called for it. But they covered something far darker than their outward appearance would portray. Beneath them lay his tortured feet, which represented to him all the abuse he had ever experienced and a past that he had tried to bury his entire life. The socks, like his charming personality, were a distraction. They hid what Booth didn't want the world to see.

His imperfections.

OOOOO

Hodgins dressed down.

He wore hoodies and sloppily-layered clothes. And when forced to wear one, he never kept his tie exactly straight. His entire life, Hodgins had tried to be "just one of the guys", despite being richer, smarter, and angrier than those around him. But his fashion allowed him to briefly fool others into appearing, at least outwardly, like an average person. It allowed him to fit in with a crowd, even when he didn't really belong.

He couldn't have known that one not-so-special day, he would look up from his microscope and he would realize that he actually had found his crowd.

OOOOO

Sweets wore a suit.

He did it to look older than he actually was. He wanted to be seen as someone to be taken seriously, as a professional. He was young and most people assumed that meant that he was also inexperienced. That particular misconception was a major issue when working as someone's psychologist. But Sweets knew darkness, every bit as much as his patients did.

Even if he covered his own darkness with a jacket.

OOOOO

Angela wore a blue lab coat.

To the average spectator, it matched the rest of the lab's personnel, a distinctive blue that said she was one of _them_. However, every year, to mark the anniversary of the only steady employment she had ever had, Angela added a little something extra. Some trim here, a new button here. Something that said: "I'm an artist. I actually belong in Paris."

And the rest of the team let her believe that was true.


	3. Proof v Faith

OOOOO

"_What you have is faith, baby."- Hodgins, Aliens in a Spaceship_

Brennan woke to the pad of Booth's calloused finger dancing along the valley of her breasts, skimming her pale skin delicately. He was propped up on his elbow and typically, the same position would have made him look young. More than once she had seen the carefree slouch accompanied by a roguish grin, one that she imagined was more suited to a young soldier than an experienced FBI agent. But this morning, despite his attempts to look outwardly casual, there was only focus in his clear, brown eyes.

"Staring at it won't make it go away you know." She reminded him. He looked over at her as if he was surprised to hear her speak.

"I had a bad dream," was his only reply before he placed a kiss on the caret-shaped mark adorning her sternum.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked as she ran a hand through his hair. He shook his head as his lips spread kisses down her torso and back up again.

"I just want to forget the whole incident ever happened." He confessed. "I want to wipe it from my memory. Got any mad scientist friends who can do that?" He asked as he looked up at her, only half-kidding.

"No, and even if I did, I wouldn't let them touch a hair on your head. You can't keep using brain surgery as an excuse to forget things." Brennan tugged on his mussed hair playfully. It looked like he had been running his hands through it all night long. "Besides, the box cutter barely broke the skin. The mark will be gone in a few days and pretty soon you'll forget it was even there to begin with."

"No I won't." Booth assured her. "I know every injury you've ever had in the field; I remember them all." The seriousness with which he spoke took her breath away for a moment and she inhaled slowly.

"Then you'll remember that this is probably the smallest injury I've acquired in the years that we've been working together." She waited for a response but it never came. She finally sat up and dove in with the questions that she'd been trying to avoid for the last 24 hours. "Booth, it was only a cut. We've been in much worse situations. What was so frightening about this one?" He sighed as he sat up and she followed, pulling the sheet up around her waist as she waited for his answer.

"It's not just this one." He confessed. She furrowed her eyebrows and waited for him to continue. "This always happens after you're hurt."

"What always happens?" She asked.

"I lie in bed and I replay the scene over and over and I try and figure out what I could have done differently."

"Booth, you didn't do…." He didn't let her finish.

"It's a part of the job, going over your mistakes so that errors won't happen again, so you'll be prepared for the next time. Every situation is a learning opportunity." He issued the detached statement easily, years of training revealing itself in his well-worn comment. "But somehow, whenever you are involved," he shook his head, "the replaying doesn't stop. Even after I figure out what I would change, how I would adapt, I still see all of the things that could go wrong." He shrugged. "I'm never satisfied."

"Why not?" She frowned, not liking the idea that she brought him so much trouble.

"If something goes wrong when I'm alone, then I'm the only one who has to pay the price. You, on the other hand, you rely on me to protect you out there."

"And you do." She defended him.

"But you were never trained for this. You don't know that Maneuver X on page 23 says that I should move left when you move right. You just look me in the eye and trust me to do what is right for both of us."

"Yes, and you do." She said, unable to see the problem.

"Well, those moments? Those are the most terrifying parts of my job."

"The moments when I trust you." She clarified.

"Yes." Booth replied without a doubt.

"Why?"

"Well, what if…what if I let you down?" He asked quietly, releasing his greatest fear into the air between them. "What if the last memory we have together is you standing in the arms of a terrorist with a knife to your chest, relying on me to rescue you and I can't? How could I ever live with myself knowing that you stood there believing in me and I couldn't..."

"No. Don't talk like that." She cut him off by pulling him in for a kiss. When she thought that he had gotten the point, she rested her forehead against his. "Do you want to know why I trust you so much?" She whispered, her eyes opening slowly. "It's because you've never given me a reason not to." Booth pulled away and she knew his desperate desire to believe her was warring with his insecurities. "No matter what has happened between us, or to us, you have always given me your best in that moment. You've proved it with evidence time and time again. You would do anything and everything in your power to get me home safe and sound. Is that assumption incorrect in some way?" She asked.

"No but..."

"Then that's all I need to know." Brennan replied simply. "I can't ask for anything more than that because there isn't anything more to give." She put her hand over his and he looked down before weaving their fingers together. "The scenario doesn't matter, Booth." She tightened her grip on his hand. "You will never fail me."

"You don't know that."

"Yes. I do." She said adamantly, refusing to even entertain any other idea. "What if the situation were reversed? What if you were the one lying here with a cut on your chest? Would you blame me?"

"Never." He scoffed.

"And what about when you took a bullet that was meant for me? Did you blame me for that?" She touched the scar on his chest tentatively.

"No." His hand lifted her chin to meet his gaze. "It never even crossed my mind."

"It crossed mine." She said seriously.

"It shouldn't have."

"Then you shouldn't blame yourself either." She informed him. He sighed, knowing she was right. "Unless you do something stupid and heroic again, then I will absolutely choose to blame you." She confessed as she played with the hem on the sheet beneath her.

"You will?" She felt him smile, even without looking at him.

"Yes. I'd never forgive you." She added seriously as she finally glanced up to see his sparkling eyes that only appeared when she said exactly the right thing and that boyish smirk plastered on his face.

"Hey Bones?" He smiled and tugged her closer to him.

"What?" She asked, defiantly looking him square in the eye to overcompensate for the emotions whirling inside her.

"I love you." He said simply, his hand coming up to cradle her jaw.

"Really?" She asked. He nodded and glanced down at her lips, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb. "Can you prove it?" She challenged him with a daring look in her eye.

"Oh, it would be my pleasure." He said honestly as he kissed her senseless.


	4. I Never

A/N: This was the first thing I put in notes. Sadly, I never…found a use for it. Hehehe, I crack myself up. It's set in the beginning of season 6 and is _**so**_ not canon-accurate anymore.

OOOOO

"Okay, gather around children. We're gonna spice things up tonight. Rules of 'I Never'." Angela said as she started pulling tables together. "Someone says something they've never done. If you have done that thing, you have to take a drink. Understand?" Everyone nodded. "Okay, I'll start." Angela said, as she gave a dangerous once over to the entire table, trying to pick her prey.

"I've never kissed a Booth." She said, glancing at Padme, Cam, Brennan and Hannah. The entire table cat called as nearly all the women at the table took a sip of their drinks.

"Wait, does that mean I have to take two?" Brennan asked Angela, wanting to know the official rules. Hannah raised an eyebrow at the question. Both Booth men blushed and suddenly found the napkins under their drinks very interesting.

"And we're off…" Cam murmured behind a fake smile to Hodgins, who was too busy laughing to respond.

"It's a long story." Brennan replied once she saw Hannah's look of surprise.

"I'd love to hear it sometime." Hannah stated as she flashed a forced smile at Booth.

"I guess I'll go next." Brennan pondered a minute and then smiled. "I've never slept with a woman." Sweets, Angela, Hodgins, Jared, and Booth all took a drink.

"My turn?" Hodgins asked. "I've never been high on the job." He said with a smile. A chorus of laughter erupted as everyone looked at Angela and Brennan.

"That was once!" Angela defended as she took a drink.

"Dr. B." Hodgins demanded as she reluctantly took a drink. "Booth." He said expectantly.

"Why are you looking at me?" He asked.

"Christmas 2005." He said with a grin.

"We weren't working at the time."

"You weren't. You were chasing fireflies on the ceiling." Hodgins laughed.

"Fine." Booth said as he took a sip of his beer.

"Now that I would pay to see." Jared smiled. It was Padme's turn, and she glanced around the room, wondering what would get quite a few people to drink.

"I've never assisted in stealing a body." She said with an iniquitous smile. She watched in delight as Cam, Booth, Sweets, Brennan, Angela, Hodgins, and Jared all took a drink.

"Dear God. None of you are coming to my funeral." Hannah clarified as almost everyone at the table took a drink.

"Hey, and one for poor Hank, huh?" Booth said as he raised another toast. They all agreed and took one more sip.

"Speaking of, I've never been suspected of murder." Cam said with a grin.

"Wait, wait." Hodgins said as he held up his hands. "Officially charged or just suspected?" Hodgins asked, causing everyone at the table to laugh. Only in this group would a detail like that be important.

"I said suspected." She replied callously. Hodgins and Sweets swore in unison as they both took a drink, along with Booth, Brennan and Angela.

As the night wore on, everyone was getting drunker by the second.

"Angela, your turn." Booth said.

"Oh, I've got a great one." Angela said. "A drink for every person at this table you've seen naked." She grinned as everyone at the table groaned. "Including," she held up a tipsy finger, "including names."

"Jared." Padme smiled.

"Seeley and Padme." Jared said.

"Booth." Cam said as she took a swig of her wine.

"Seeley." Hannah said as she took a drink.

"Jared, Cam, and Hannah." Booth groaned as he threw his head back and drained the rest of his beer. The rest of the table chuckled.

"Booth." Brennan said.

"What about Booth?" Hodgins asked as he returned with another bottle.

"We're taking a drink for every person we've seen naked at the table." Angela said scandalously.

"Whoa, back up, so are you still claiming that you and Booth have never slept together?" He asked Brennan through his buzzed fog.

"We haven't slept together!" Brennan said. "Why doesn't anyone believe us when we say that?" She asked her partner.

"Well, it wasn't for a lack of trying on your part." Booth grinned.

"That is so not true!" The entire table watched with interest as the secret history of Booth and Brennan began to unfold.

"Okay, you two…" Angela said, wanting to save them from whatever was about to come next. She alone knew the details of their past and she assumed that they didn't want the rest of the bar to find out. Still, it was apparent that a door had opened that wasn't going to be easily closed again.

"Hey, you were the one who first suggested that we should sleep together." Booth said, holding up his hands defensively.

"Yes, and you were so quick to turn me down." Brennan said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. "We left so quickly, you almost forgot to pay our tab." She reminded him. Booth scoffed his rebuttal.

"Okay, this is about to get messy. I'd be diving behind the nearest water trough if I were you." Angela warned the table next to them.

"How messy?" Hannah asked Cam.

"As in, we're all about to become witnesses for the prosecution." Cam replied knowingly.

"If you can't find a trough, I hear that hiding under school desks is a viable option during nuclear attacks." Angela kept going, hoping to distract people from the scene.

"I'll admit that I was momentarily charmed over by you confessing all of your dark secrets and kissing me in the rain." Brennan admitted. "But luckily, I was still smart enough to put myself in a cab." Booth chuckled humorlessly at the phrase.

"Putting yourself in a cab." He shook his head. "That really is your signature move, isn't it Bones? Huh? When things get too scary, you can always just jump in a cab and leave me standing on the sidewalk with my guts in my hands." He said as he thrust his hands out from his stomach.

"Well at least I don't make promises that I have no intention of keeping! Fifty years?! Really!?" She yelled. "You asked me to gamble on the rest of my life because you claimed that you 'knew'." She said, air quoting the term. "Hannah, when did you meet Booth?" She asked.

"You leave her out of this." Booth seethed, pointing his finger dangerously at her. Brennan smiled as she knew that she had touched a nerve for him.

"Hannah?" Brennan requested politely as she turned to look at her.

"August." Hannah answered reluctantly.

"Four months." Brennan said as she looked at Booth. "I've got news for you, Booth. Your guts? They have shit for brains." She grabbed her coat and strode out of the bar.


	5. Caught in the rain

A/N: You guys! I was completely overwhelmed by the reaction to 'I Never'. There was a very loud demand for a sequel. Luckily, Laffers18 took one for the fandom and cashed in her JPs to ensure that there would be a Part II, which I am working on now. For now, here's a little random something from season 6.

OOOOO

Parker and Brennan ran into the apartment giggling.

"You guys got caught in the storm too I see." Hannah said as she walked in toweling her hair.

"The science lab was cancelled due to the storm." Brennan explained. "I offered to give Parker a ride back."

"It's pouring!" Parker stated the obvious. "We got drenched." He laughed as he stood dripping in the hallway.

"Hey. Go change your clothes before we all drown in that puddle you're creating." Booth told his son as he sent him to his room.

"Temperance, do you need a change of clothes?" Hannah offered.

"Blood bag?" Brennan requested from Booth.

"Second drawer like always." Booth said as nonchalantly as he pointed to the bedroom. However, Brennan hadn't been in Booth's bedroom since Hannah had moved in and she really didn't want to be in there now. The awkwardness was recognized by everyone.

"Would you mind?" Brennan asked. "I don't want to leave a trail." She said as she pointed to her wet clothes.

"Oh, yeah. Good idea. I should probably just..." He hurried into the bedroom and reappeared with her bag.

"Blood bag?" Hannah questioned.

"For changing after cases. The name sort of speaks for itself." Brennan said.

"Yeah, after six years of working together, a key to the other's place and a drawer come standard." Booth explained to Hannah as he tossed the bag to Brennan.

"I'm not even sure what's in here." She said as she tugged open the bag. She pulled out a black FBI T-shirt and a set of jeans.

"That's where that t-shirt went!" Booth said. "You stole it?"

"If by 'stole it' you mean that you gave it to me, then yes." She said.

"I don't remember giving it to you." He said.

"Plumbing for dummies." She said succinctly, refreshing his memory.

"Oh right." He said with a chuckle at the memory. "Hey, you wanted to learn." He smiled.

"Learn, yes. Participate in a wet t-shirt contest, no." She said as she reached back into the bag. Brennan felt her hand hit her travel kit that contained all of her extra toiletry items that used to be in Booth's bathroom cabinet drawer. She paused and glanced at him, knowing that he had probably taken them out of the bathroom to give Hannah the drawer. She pulled the kit out and opened it, her jasmine soap catching Booth's eye. He could never smell the scent without thinking of her. The last time she had showered in his bathroom, her scent had lingered long after she had gone and the wicked thoughts that he had had about her soaking in his tub had lasted even longer.

"Let me get you a garbage bag or something for your wet clothes." Hannah offered and Booth's head shot up at the mention of putting her clothes in a garbage bag. Brennan's face didn't overtly give anything away, but he knew her well enough to know that she had to be thinking about her childhood.

"I'll just throw them in the dryer with Parker's stuff." He said before Brennan could respond. "That way, you'll have something in the drawer the next time this happens." He and Brennan shared a kind smile before Booth turned around to glance at his girlfriend. He did a double take at the uneasy expression written on Hannah's face as she watched Brennan head for the bathroom.

With just that one look, Booth realized what Hannah already knew: that no matter how long she stayed, Brennan would always have the second drawer in Booth's life.


	6. One Special Day

"Mommy?" The harsh whisper was followed by a sharp tug on the comforter. "Are you asleep?" Brennan sighed as she silently lifted up the blanket to let Christine slid into bed with them. Christine tumbled over her and squished herself directly in between her parents. Booth shifted in his sleep but didn't wake up.

"What are you doing up at this hour on a Saturday?" Brennan mumbled as she finally opened her eyes to look at her wide awake four year old. Christine simply shrugged and pulled the blanket up to her nose. "Hmm, well are you going to try and go back to sleep?" She inquired.

"I'll be quiet." Christine promised. Brennan took that as a no. She smiled groggily at the big blue eyes peeking out over the sheets. Brennan couldn't fault her. She was the one who had passed along the genetic need for very little sleep.

"Hey," she said as she tapped on her daughter's shoulder playfully, "why don't you and I do something special together today?"

"Something special?" Christine repeated as her eyebrows furrowed.

"She doesn't know what that means." Booth mumbled, obviously listening. Brennan chuckled at his ability to read them, even in his sleep.

"You and I can spend the day together. You can decide what activities we do, what we eat, where we go."

"Really?!" Christine sat up in excitement, knocking into her father's stiff shoulder.

"Oof." Booth winced but his pain went unnoticed by the small child bouncing next to him.

"Be careful." Brennan commanded as she pulled Christine into her lap. "There isn't much room in this bed with all three of us."

"Oh God." Booth groaned. "Once upon a time, I had dreams of you saying that to me." Booth muttered as he turned over. "This was not the situation I had in mind." Brennan smirked at him over their daughter's head.

"Can we go to the aquarium?" Christine asked. "Do they have fighting fish? Michael got a fighting fish for his birthday and it's _awesome_." Brennan frowned.

"I don't think they would keep fighting fish in a tank with other fish. It seems very impractical."

"Oooh. Can we color our fingers like at Aunt Ange's house?"

"Paint our nails? Sure." Brennan said. "But why don't you start by deciding what you want for breakfast?" She suggested.

"Daddy's pancakes?!" She asked. Booth smiled, immediately feeling appreciated and loved.

"You'll have to ask him." Brennan said, feigning uncertainty at the request.

"Daddy?"

"What?" He asked.

"Will you make us pancakes for our special day?" She asked, throwing her arms around her father's neck and charming him instantly.

"I don't know." He said as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Pancakes require a lot of work. I'm going to need some help."

"I'll help!" Christine assured him. "And Mommy." She added as she recruited her mother, just in case.

"You will?" Booth asked. Christine nodded enthusiastically. "Well then, I think we can manage pancakes." Christine bounced in glee.

"Why don't you go get dressed first?" Brennan recommended.

"And I can pick out all my own clothes because it's my special day!" Christine said, suddenly sounding far too eager to be in charge. Booth laughed at how quickly she bounded out of bed and down the hall.

"You've created a monster." He informed his partner. "One taste of freedom and she's going to run all over us."

"You don't know that." Brennan said.

"I have some experience in the department." He said knowingly. Brennan frowned at the accusation. "Don't worry, Bones. I like my women bossy." He winked.

OOOOO

Christine appeared at Booth's feet dressed to the nines. Her outfit for the day was a navy sundress, a purple sweater, and pink striped leggings with every plastic piece of jewelry she had ever acquired piled on her tiny body. She had acquired her father's penchant for colorful accessories and her mother's love of jewelry. It was a deadly combination.

"Whoa. Look at you." Booth smiled.

"I got lots of jewelry." She said as she held out her wrist with at least four bracelets stretching halfway to her elbow.

"I see that. You look beautiful." He grinned at Brennan who followed behind her. "Hey, you're just in time to help me stir." Booth said as he lifted his daughter up and sat her on the counter. He handed her a spoon and she started stirring the batter.

"Mommy, I'm stirring!" Christine announced proudly, her bracelets jingling on her petite arms.

"I see that." Brennan nodded as Booth handed her a cup of coffee. "Thank you." She said as she accepted the mug.

"Cute outfit, huh?" Booth mumbled from behind his own mug. Brennan simply raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Daddy, chips!" Christine reminded him from her place on the counter. Booth took a look down at the lumpy batter.

"Alright, they're in the cupboard. Go get them." He said as he pulled her off the island and quickly whipped the batter into submission before she could catch him. She came back with the bag of chocolate chips and climbed up on a stool beside him.

"How many?" She asked. They both glanced warily at Brennan, who couldn't help but laugh at their identical actions.

"It's your day." She shrugged, giving up the control. "Just don't make yourself sick or you won't be able to go to the aquarium." Christine considered this carefully.

"How about this much?" Booth said as he handed her a measuring cup.

"Yeah." She agreed with a definitive nod.

"Okay, you hold the cup. I'll pour." He said.

OOOOO

Booth heard the car pull up around seven that evening. He had missed them, despite the fact that the quiet had allowed him to get a lot done. He glanced at the door as it opened and was surprised to see Brennan carrying a sleeping Christine in, slung over her shoulder. He leapt up to help her at the sight but Brennan shook her head. She headed up the steps and Booth followed silently. He had to smile as he noticed a paper crown still firmly attached to Christine's head. The hat seemed to be the perfect addition to her mismatched outfit. He watched as Brennan set the small child down in her bed and began removing the souvenirs of their day: the paper hat, plastic jewelry, a fish-covered wristband that allowed entry into the aquarium all day. Brennan lined them up carefully on the nightstand, treating them like the precious artifacts that they were and Booth felt his heart bubble over at the scene. He glanced one last time at the sleeping girl in her bed as Brennan tip-toed out of the room. He softly shut the door and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly.

"Mmm, what was that for?" She asked as she looked up at him in muted surprise.

"Just for being you." He said simply, not wanting to ruin the moment by explaining it. Brennan smiled but didn't question it further. They made their way downstairs and Booth waited until they were in the living room to continue their conversation.

"How was Baltimore?" He asked as she settled in next to him on the couch.

"It was good. Exhausting." She smiled.

"For both of you." Booth noticed.

"No. Hers is simply a result of too much salt water taffy." Brennan chuckled. "She was her energetic self as usual. She asked so many questions. Luckily, I had my phone with me so I could do research while she was watching the fish."

"Of course you did." He laughed and shook his head.

"Why? What did you do when Parker was little and asked so many questions?" She asked, putting him on the spot.

"I did what every parent does: I lied." Booth said honestly. Brennan smirked at his response.

"Well, we both learned a lot. She informed me that she wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up."

"That would be great."

"You think?"

"Warm weather, lots of dolphins." Booth noted. "We'd always have a beach to visit." Brennan cringed. "Too soon?" He smiled.

"She's just four." She said as she looked down at her nail polish wistfully.

"Yeah, she's got lots of time to change her mind and be a cool FBI agent like her old man." Booth teased before nudging his partner with his shoulder. Brennan paused and Booth suddenly saw that there was something else that happened today. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Christine didn't just ask about the fish." She took a deep breath. "There was a wedding party, taking pictures at the harbor. She wanted to know why they were all dressed up." Booth unconsciously held his breath. "So I told her that the couple was getting married. She wanted to know what married meant so I explained that a wedding was a ceremony where the couple promised to spend the rest of their lives together and she said 'Like you and Daddy?'." Booth winced, not sure if he wanted to hear what she said. "I explained that the traditional ceremony was only a custom and that it was not required to make that specific promise. Lots of families existed where parents lived together without being married, like us, or lived separately, like you and Rebecca, or were married like Angela and Hodgins. What mattered was the connection that people had, that was what made a family." Booth smiled proudly at the perfect answer.

"And what did she say?"

"She said that we should have a wedding so that she and I could wear fancy dresses." Booth laughed at the precocious answer. "I told her that it wasn't my decision to make but I would discuss it with you." The smile on his face slowly turned into a quizzical frown. He turned to look at her.

"Wait, are you being serious?"

"Well, we don't have to actually come to a conclusion. I just told her we would discuss it."

"What is there to discuss?" He asked, probably brushing the conversation off more for his sake than hers.

"Would you be interested in getting married someday?" She asked.

"Of course."

"Then why didn't you ever ask?" She asked, not wanting to offend him.

"I told you that it was your responsibility to ask me. It's not my turn for the big milestone." He argued.

"What do you mean my turn?" She asked with a frown.

"Well, I had the moment in front of the Hoover." He gestured to himself. "And you had that rainy night in the car." He pointed back at her. "I finally got over my hurt pride and let you in again. You had the pregnancy announcement and I convinced you to move in with me and found us a place to live." He summed up. "It's your turn." He said, giving her an opening.

"So you've just been sitting there for the last five years waiting for me to propose?" She inquired.

"Well, we've been pretty happy without it, don't you think?" He pointed out. "I mean, if you asked and I said no, would you leave?" He countered.

"No." She frowned.

"Exactly. Neither would I." He shrugged as if his point had been made. "I just need you, Bones."

"Okay." She said, satisfied with his answer. She sat there for a moment before yawning. "I'm heading to bed." She said as she kissed his temple and stood up. "Are you coming up?"

"Wait, that's it?" He asked. "That's the entire conversation? You're not going to bother to tell me how you feel about the subject?"

"I thought it didn't matter?" She teased. "And if that's the case, I can think of a much better way to spend our time." She raised her eyebrow and started up the steps. Booth shook his head, knowing that he was playing right into her hand but he got up off the couch and followed her up the stairs.

OOOOO

The next morning, Booth groaned as his body protested the hours of mind blowing sex he had put it through the night before. He glanced over towards the empty side of the bed before looking at the clock. It was well after ten. He had slept through Mass, and probably breakfast. He rolled out of bed and headed for the shower, knowing that the steam would be good for him.

When he finally made his way downstairs, he heard Christine giggling like she was up to no good. He paused at the foot of the stairs, wondering what she could possibly be up to, when he heard Brennan shush her. He peeked around the corner and saw a breakfast waiting for him at the kitchen table.

"Surprise!" Christine yelled happily.

"What is this?" He asked as he admired the table waiting for him.

"We made you breakfast." Brennan smiled.

"Sit. Sit. Sit." Christine hopped up on the seat next to his.

"Wow. What's the occasion?" He asked as he sat down and Brennan poured him a cup of coffee.

"We thought that since you made breakfast yesterday, it was our turn to make you breakfast." Brennan said with a smile. Booth paused with his lips still on the rim of his coffee cup at her choice of words, but pushed the thought out of his mind.

"You didn't have to do that." He told them. "But since you did…What'd you make me?" He asked as he but peeked under the plate cover.

"Omelets." Christine said. "And bacon. See?" Booth smiled.

"Amazing. Thank you." He said. "Give me a kiss." He requested as his daughter dutifully leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "You too." He asked Brennan as she sat down beside him. He leaned forward and kissed her his gratitude. "Hey, tell me about the aquarium yesterday! Did you have fun?"

"Yeah." She said. "We got you a present." She said as she looked at her mother hesitantly.

"You did?"

"We did." Brennan confirmed as she gave Christine the box. "She wanted to make sure she was the one who got to give it to you." Brennan explained quietly under her breath.

"Okay seriously, what has gotten into you two?" He asked as he accepted the box and began lifting off the lid. "It's not even my birthd…" He stopped as he glanced down into the box. It was a very nice, very expensive gold watch. Booth stared at it before looking at Brennan.

"Do you like it?" She asked.

"It's way too much." He said as he examined it again.

"Daddy, turn it over!" Christine said impatiently. Booth took it out of the box and flipped it over to see that the back of the watch was engraved with two words.

_Marry us?_

He stared at the words, reading them over and over until his eyes began to blur. When he was certain that he wasn't making it up, he slowly looked over at Brennan.

"What do you think? Do you want to have a wedding?" She asked him, already knowing his answer. He glanced over at Christine who was staring at him expectantly.

"I would love to." He replied.

"Really?" Brennan asked. Booth laughed and nodded.

"Yeah. I would." He replied again. "Yes."

"Yay!" Christine cheered.

"Christine, close your eyes and count to ten." Booth commanded as he stood up swiftly, sending his chair clattering against the wall. Brennan smiled as Christine clasped her hands over her eyes.

"One." She began. Booth grabbed Brennan by the neck and kissed her passionately.

"Two. Three." She kept counting. Booth pulled away only to look Brennan in the eye.

"I love you." He whispered. "And it would be…." he paused to find the words "the greatest honor" he smiled as she began to tear up "to be your husband."

"I love you." She nodded before kissing him again.

"Seven. Eight." The countdown continued as Booth pulled away to bring their daughter into this.

"And you!" Booth said as he lifted her into the air. "Was this your idea?"

"No!" She giggled as Booth tickled her. "Mommy picked it."

"Mm, well I see a very beautiful dress in your future." He promised. He set her down and tried the watch on.

"What do you think?" He asked as he held it out.

"It's shiny." Christine said in awe as she stroked the band lightly.

"It looks very handsome." Brennan answered. "Do you like it?"

"Do I…?" He stumbled over the question. "It's the best gift I have ever gotten. I'm never going to take it off."

"You're gonna wear it forever?" Christine said, her eyes wide at the idea. Booth grinned as he shared a meaningful glance with Brennan.

"Forever and ever." He promised as he reached out and held her hand.


	7. Curfew

Booth focused on the shelves in front of him as he paced. He mentally catalogued each of the items on the first shelf. It was a mix of their favorite artifacts: an abacus that Bones had brought back from China, his grandfather's compass from Korea, an ornate magnifying glass that he had found in an antique shop years ago that used to hang on his wall back at his old place.

He glanced down at his cell phone one more time. It was officially 15 minutes after curfew and she had yet to walk through the door. He was halfway through sending her another text when he heard a car pull up into the driveway. He hurried to the window to see who was bringing his daughter home but didn't recognize the car and in the dark, he couldn't see the driver. He watched as she slipped up the sidewalk before sitting down on the couch and waiting for her to enter. She entered the code to unlock the back door and slipped into the kitchen. She made it halfway to the fridge when Booth turned on the lamp beside him.

"Oh!" She cried as she grabbed her chest in shock.

"Hi." He said simply.

"Geez, Dad. You're going to give me a heart attack."

"Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about you." He said as he glanced pointedly at his watch.

"I know. I'm late."

"You know?" Booth said, annoyed.

"Well, it was only a few minutes and I didn't want to wake you up if you weren't already awake. Michael had to stop and get gas and then the pump wouldn't take his credit card and so he had to go into the store and the guy working behind the counter was at a total loss and had no idea what to do and he kept trying to get it to work rather than just let us pay inside and finally Michael just put a twenty on the counter and drove off because we were both late." She finally finished as she pulled out the pie she had made earlier that day from the fridge.

"Really." He stated, amused by her ability to tell an entire story in one breath.

"Mmhm. Do you want some pie?" She asked as she cut herself a slice.

"That depends. Are you offering so I let you slide on being late?"

"No. I'm asking because if I don't, you're going to try and steal part of mine and I don't like to share." She said honestly.

"Then sure." He said as he sat down on a barstool.

"Whipped cream?" She asked as she held out the can.

"That's for the curfew?"

"Possibly." She admitted with a sly grin that she had inherited from him.

"Uh-huh." He smiled as he pulled his piece of pie towards him without the cream. She sighed as she helped herself to a large dollop before putting everything back in the fridge. "So was the concert worth it?"

"Totally worth it." She nodded. "Crap. I forgot my t-shirt in the backseat of Michael's car." Booth choked on his pie.

"I never want to hear those words come out of your mouth in that order ever again." He said as he pointed his fork at her ominously.

"The one I bought there." She said as she rolled her eyes. "And ew. Michael's like a brother to me."

"Which is why I let you leave the house with him." Booth added. "I know he'll look out for you."

"I don't need protecting!" She protested in a voice that was so like her mother's twenty years before that Booth had to stop and remember who he was speaking to before continuing.

"You're sixteen and the daughter of an FBI agent and a world-renowned scientist. Do you have any idea how many people would love to get their hands on you?" Booth asked. Christine folded her hands in her lap and fell silent. "If I just had to worry about teenage boys, that would be hard enough, but I've got serial killers and vengeful criminals and your grandparents and…"

"Okay, I get it." She said. "I'm a walking target." She said as she took another bite of her pie. Booth sighed and set down his fork.

"That's not what I'm…" He paused. "I worry about you, okay? I'm not going to lock you away in a tower or anything; but after everything that your mom and I have gone through…" Christine got a curious look and Booth realized she didn't know even half of the stories she probably should. "I just need you to acknowledge that sometimes, my concerns are valid."

"Sometimes they're crazy." She argued. Booth rolled his eyes. "But not all the time." She relented.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She said as she put her dish in the sink. "I'm going to bed. You should too, old man. You really will give yourself a heart attack." She teased as she kissed his temple.

"Hey, I love you. You know that, right?"

"Love you too." She replied.


	8. Petrichor

A/N: I wrote Brennan once demanding that no matter what happened between her and Booth personally, their partnership would never be affected. As soon as I wrote that, I started mulling about what that might look like.

OOOOO

Booth stared out the window as black clouds began to roll in. The smell of rain permeated the meeting room and he couldn't help but inhale deeply at the long forgotten smell of spring. It seemed fitting. Rain was dark, but it always brought renewal. Something in the familiar scent triggered his memory and he couldn't help but smile as an image appeared in his mind's eye.

Bones.

He could still see her crooked smile as she drove away in a cab, setting in motion a turn of events that would end up altering his life forever. It was a lifetime ago, and so much had changed since then, but he would always link the smell of rain with that first real moment of their relationship. She had informed him that someone like him would benefit greatly by working with someone like her. He had laughed at the time, but now, he knew just how accurate that statement would turn out to be. Within a few hours of meeting her, he had quit gambling, adopted a new (and slightly more rebellious) dress code, and learned to appreciate the truth, even when the truth sucked. She had helped him grow up, as silly as it sounded. He knew that he had been just as influential on her. She had grown just as much as he had over the past 15 years and he knew that she credited him with that change.

Looking back on the insanity that was their relationship, he was proud of them for managing to maintain their professional partnership through it all. They had always found a way, even when it killed them inside. He had never thanked her for that, he realized as he glanced down at the street below. It was just as much her doing as his. Even when she had been the reason it was hard, she fought for them anyway. No matter what they were going through personally, he always knew that she would be able to keep them together and now, he was so grateful that she had.

He heard her footsteps coming down the hall, but didn't turn to greet her until the door closed behind her. There were raindrops on her coat and face from the sudden storm and he couldn't help but notice how much they looked like tears on her pale skin. But he knew better. She would never cry in front of him, at least not today.

"Booth?" She questioned as he realized he was still staring. He smiled that fake smile that he had always relied on to get him through. She knew what it meant: I'll be fine. When she seemed adequately appeased by his silent answer, she sat down at the conference table. He took the chair opposite her and he was struck by how strange it felt to be on opposite ends of any table from her. Too much time in the interrogation room together.

"Christine says hello." Brennan started the conversation politely. "She is very excited about your camping trip together this weekend."

"Me too." He smiled. "Does she know why you are here?" Brennan shook her head.

"I didn't think it was necessary. Things changed when you moved out. That was enough."

"No point in dragging her through it again just for the red tape." Booth agreed.

"How were Parker's college visits?" Brennan asked, skillfully changing the subject.

"Good. I think he's going to wind up at American. He liked his tour there but it's still early." The lawyers came in, stacks of paperwork in hand.

"Hello again." The lawyer said with a smile. "No changes since the last draft, just the formalities of the signatures." She said as she handed them each a pen. "Do you have any questions before we begin?" She asked as she looked at both of them expectantly. Brennan sighed and looked at Booth. This was it. There was no going back. Booth shook his head and Brennan followed. "Great, let's begin." She said as she started with the first page, showing each of them where to initial. Brennan went first before sliding the paper across the table towards him and continuing with the next one. One by one, all the papers were signed and as Booth received the last page with her formal signature, he paused. Suddenly it was real. The phone in his pocket began to ring and he apologized as he answered it.

"Booth?" He questioned as Brennan's cell phone began to ring. "Text me the address?" He requested. "Thanks." He waited for Brennan to hang up before he asked what he already knew. "Body in the sewer?" He said.

"Every time it rains." She said with a shake of her head as she stood up.

"Hold up, I'll give you a ride." Booth said as he signed the last page of the divorce papers quickly.

"Can we hurry please? The evidence is being destroyed as we sit here." She requested.

"She hates it when her evidence is destroyed." Booth explained as he glanced at the stunned attorney. "Alright. Signed. Anything else we need to do?" He asked.

"No." She shook her head.

"Great. Let's go. Body's melting." He said as he pushed his now ex-wife out of the conference room.

"Booth! How many times do I have to tell you? Bodies don't melt!" Brennan rolled her eyes.


	9. Stay-cation

A/N: Jenlovesbones wanted Tweet!fic about vacation a while back. This is what appeared. Sorry to those of you who have already read these recycled bits on Twitter, but it helps me remember what I've already written if I post them somewhere!

OOOOO

"Bones? Bones?" He waved his hand in front of her computer screen. "You didn't hear a thing I just said, did you?"

"I'm sorry. I am just finishing grading these papers." She said as she closed the lid on her laptop. "What did you say?"

"Forget it. But now that I have your attention? We need a vacation." Booth claimed. "With a beach, booze, room service, and preferably a long ways away from any sort of electronic communications device."

"A vacation?" Brennan repeated incredulously. "Booth, I just spent three months living out of hotel rooms hiding from a man who was trying to kill us." She reminded him. "Who, might I add, is still out there somewhere." Booth sighed. He couldn't compete with that. "I would be very happy to never see the inside of a hotel room again, or at least not for a very long time. The only place I want to be right now is here, with you." He smiled, a little too charmed over to argue properly, but he had another idea.

"Okay, then how about a stay-cation?" Booth offered.

"A what?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"A stay-cation." Booth emphasized.

"That doesn't sound like an actual thing."

"Well it is. A vacation without leaving the house. We could ship Christine off to stay with the Hodgins family and then you and I get to spend the entire weekend together, preferably without leaving our bed." He wrapped his arms around her enticingly, lowering his voice to a whisper before continuing. "No phones, no answering the door, no email, just you and me." His lips trailed behind her ear and she felt herself melting into his chest. "How does that sound?" He murmured.

"It sounds nice." She conceded.

"Good, then plan on it. This weekend." Booth smiled as she turned around in his arms.

"This weekend?" She said in surprise.

"Bones…" He sighed as he glared up at the ceiling in frustration.

"No. It's fine. I'm sure I can…rearrange." She promised.

"Good because once I get you alone, I don't plan on sharing." He said as he pulled her in for a kiss.

OOOOO

Friday night, Booth stumbled into the house feeling exhausted and grouchy. His day had been terrible and it had taken everything in him to make it through. Still, he pulled himself together and refused to let Brennan see the wear of the day on his face. They had plans, sexy plans, and despite the fact that he could barely walk a line right now, they were damn well going to stick to them.

"Bones?" He called out, wondering where she was as he shut the front door behind him. "You home?" Her car had been in the garage. When he was met with silence, he suddenly went into SWAT mode, sweeping through each room as quickly and thoroughly as he could. He found her in the bedroom, dressed in what he knew to be brand new lingerie, curled up in the fetal position, fast asleep. He smiled at the sight and immediately began taking off his tie. He pulled the comforter gently out from underneath her, causing her to stir, and he tucked her in.

"Booth?" She questioned, still mostly asleep.

"Yeah, just me." He said as he finished undressing and slipped in to bed next to her. "Go back to sleep."

"Mmm, but the plans…" She murmured.

"Changed." He finished for her as he kissed her forehead. "We're both exhausted. I love you for trying but right now this is so much better." She nodded almost imperceptibly and Booth wrapped an arm around her waist and closed his eyes.

Sometimes sleeping together was better than sex.


	10. Seasons

**A/N: I'm glad you guys are liking these tiny pieces of abandoned fic. It makes me feel better knowing they are enjoyed and I'm not just posting snippets of nothing that should have remained locked up and out of sight! This is my last posted Tweet!fic piece (unless I write some more) so back to the notes folder after this! New for all readers…but also, probably slower posting. You've been warned. **

**OOOOO**

**Winter:**

Booth paused at the red stoplight controlling the intersection. He reached for his coffee as he watched a truck go barreling by his windshield. It was a cold, winter's day, the kind that ate at your bones.

Bones.

He was certain that there was a small smirk on his face at just the mention of the word. The thought of her warmed him far more than a coffee ever would. He couldn't help it; she lit a fire in his soul. He glanced at the clock on his dashboard and picked up his phone. He could probably still catch her at the lab but he stopped mid-dial, not knowing what he would say.

Things had changed between them since their time stuck in the elevator. They were more open about their eventuality than they had been in the past. What was once a maybe was now a fixed point in time that they were working towards and the thought made him light up from the inside.

They had forward motion, after years of dancing side to side, one step forwards, three steps back.

For the first time in his life, Booth had faith that they would get their happily ever after.

OOOOO

**Spring:**

Brennan paused as she heard someone slide the back door open. She couldn't help but smile as Booth wandered out with their tiny newborn in his big arms. Christine was only a month old, but she had already turned their entire world upside down.

"Whatcha doin'?" Booth asked as he stood over her.

"Cutting flowers. Did you know that there was a garden planted back here when we purchased the house?" She asked as she stood up to kiss the top of her daughter's head.

"No, but I was really focused on making sure the thing didn't collapse first." Booth admitted. Brennan smiled.

"Well, the tulips are lovely. They get just the right amount of sun." She said as she held out her newspaper full of flowers for him to see. "Perhaps I'll get Hodgins back here to help cultivate it a little more." The wheels were already turning in her head as she glanced around, planning. Booth gave a small chuckle, which broke her out of her thoughts. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing. You're just so cute when you do that." He said as he leaned over and kissed her temple.

"Do what?" She asked.

"Think."

"I think all the time, Booth." She rolled her eyes.

"Lucky me." He grinned.

OOOOO

**Summer: **

Booth glanced at the sleeping child in her crib. Please don't wake up, he begged. He had a plan and he needed some time alone with his partner for it to work. He tiptoed silently out of the nursery, never more grateful for his sniper training than in that moment. He made his way down to the kitchen, where Brennan was waiting patiently for him to return. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled.

"Hi." He sighed, relieved to be alone with her at last.

"Hi." She returned.

"Hey, I've been craving some dessert. How about some ice cream?" He offered.

"Ice cream is fine." She agreed as she let go of him. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" He asked as he grabbed the container of vanilla and turned back around, kicking the refrigerator door closed behind him. Brennan had hopped up on the counter and was now shirtless.

"Unless what you've been 'craving' wasn't ice cream at all." She suggested, toying with the chain of her necklace and drawing his attention towards her deep purple bra. It contrasted so delightfully with the convex curve of her snow white breasts that he immediately turned around and put the ice cream back in the freezer.

"You know me so well."

OOOOO

**Autumn: **

Booth silently crept into the house. It was beyond late and he hated that he had spent the evening working. It was the first night since they had been back that he hadn't come rushing home at exactly 5 PM to make sure they were all safe. But this case was important and he really had no choice so he had called and told them he would be late. He supposed it should be considered progress: things were getting back to normal. He could spend a few hours longer at work without the fear that he would return to an empty house.

He made his way up the dark stairs to the nursery and peeked in. Christine wasn't in her crib. Booth panicked for a moment before heading quickly towards his own bedroom. His panic receded as he realized that Brennan had broken her own rule and let Christine fall asleep next to her. He paused to take in the scene. His peacefully sleeping angels.

They were home.

They were safe.

It was something that he would never take for granted again.

He got undressed and headed for his side of the bed, hating to disrupt the tableau he had just worked so hard to memorize. He picked Christine up and slid her towards the center of the bed, hoping that she wouldn't wake up. She stirred but cuddled into his pillow with a sleepy sigh and fell back to sleep. Booth got into bed, but Brennan, who always woke easily, sensed his movement and sat up in alert.

"Just me, Bones." He whispered. She nodded but he could see her heart racing in fear.

"Christine should go back to her room." She said, sorting out her surroundings. "We don't want to make this a habit."

"Why is she here?" Booth asked quietly, propped up on his elbow so that he could see his partner over the infant.

"I didn't want to sleep alone." Brennan confessed meekly. "I haven't, not since…" Booth understood. "It was fine in a hotel, when we had no other options, but I want things to get back to normal." She said, trying to convince herself more than him.

"They will." He promised. "Tomorrow. Tonight, we'll make an exception." He said, as if it were merely as simple as that. Brennan gave him a grateful look before returning to her pillow and Booth closed his eyes, safe in the knowledge that his entire world was within arm's reach.


	11. Torment

A/N: I promised JMHaughey and Sunsetdreamer smut before our vacation ended. It doesn't have the original prompt word in it but it shall be my thanks for letting me crash on their floors and couches for the last week. Thanks friends!

OOOOO

Booth undressed her slowly and Brennan knew at once that this was going to be a different type of love making. Their sexual relationship was still relatively new and while their first time had been comforting and soft, they had since perfected the art of fast, desperate, dirty, and even a bit of kink sprinkled in here and there as they enacted their favorite fantasies from years past. But tonight, when Booth had looked over the table at her in the candlelight of the restaurant, Brennan had felt chills run up and down her spine and something changed in the air between them.

She stood still as he took her in, feeling more exposed than even her nakedness would suggest was appropriate. He was looking through to her core and she felt it in a way she could never explain. Booth undressed himself and moved leisurely towards her. His strong left hand found the small of her back and it drew lazy circles there as he gazed into her eyes. Suddenly, Brennan felt unworthy of the devotion he was silently sending her way. His right hand caressed the soft skin of her cheek and she leaned into it, her stomach in knots as he moved his lips within a breath of hers. She looked up at him, wondering what he could possibly see in her that would leave him looking so dazzled but he simply shook his head in mute wonder. His lips brushed against the corner of her lips before claiming her mouth with his tongue. He kissed her until she was breathless and when he finally trailed down her jaw, he left her mouth feeling as wet and empty as her now throbbing center. She felt desire curl in her abdomen as Booth slowly ran his hand up her back to her neck and laid her down on the bed behind her.

Brennan shivered as Booth's fingertips swept down her neck slowly, dancing across the skin of her collarbone. Her mouth fell open in silent pleasure as she anticipated his touch reaching her breasts but he stopped short. She must have pouted in disappointment but if Booth noticed, he didn't show it. Instead, he settled over her, his hands coming to rest on her thin waist. She rubbed her hips against him as he captured her nipple with his mouth. He sucked on her soft flesh, pulling on her sanity with every tug of his lips. She began to pant as her hands grasped at the back of his head tightly. Somehow, he managed to move down her body anyway, wandering into the limbo of pale skin that rested between her swollen breasts and damp center. Booth murmured his appreciation as he licked and massaged her flat torso with all of the slow, sensual torture that he had shown her before but now, without any physically erogenous effects, the ministrations were downright cruel.

As he nibbled on her hip, a muffled sob was wrenched from her mouth as she bit her own lip in persecuted rapture. He looked up at the noise and finally let his hand trail up her inner calf to her knee. Rather than letting his fingers or lips finally find her dripping folds, he pulled himself up to look her in the eye. She felt his eyes on her, but she couldn't bear to open her own as her core rioted against his inaction. She was yearning for him and nothing else could even register in her desperation. He mercifully slipped her leg around his waist and rubbed himself against her.

"Booth…" She begged. "Please, I need you. I need you so much it hurts." She whispered as she arched against him, her body wildly out of her control. His lips pressed his affirmation to her forehead as he finally thrust himself inside her. They both gasped at the action, her in sweet liberation and him in the knowledge of just how ready she was for him. He groaned harshly as he began to move slowly within her.

"Oh, yes…" She arched violently, nearly quivering already. "Oh, Booth." She hummed through a bit lip, trying to silence her own reckless cries but it was a lost cause, especially when she was so close to something she needed more than oxygen.

"Is this what you wanted?" He asked, teasing her mentally now rather than physically.

"Yes!" She cried. "Yes, yes, yes, oh, fuck!" She cried as she shattered intensely against him with only a few thrusts. Booth stilled; his inner masochist wanted to feel her pulsing against him as she came. He waited until she stopped shaking and her eyes fluttered open. He always looked forward to the sight of her serenely blue eyes after she came but tonight, her eyes were just as stormy as they had been when she first closed them.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She saw his look of concern and placed a hand on his collarbone, unable to speak immediately.

"That was…" she gulped in more air "the most exquisite, torturous…" She couldn't finish but that was okay, he understood her point just from the look on her face. What he didn't expect was what came next. "And yet I'm still…" As she tried to uncover what it was she was feeling, an incredulous but clearly ravenous expression appeared on her face. "How is that possible?" She looked up at him. Before he could answer, she ran her hand longingly up and down his spine. "God, the things you do to me..." She drawled, her voice overflowing with desire.

Booth's only reply was to crash his lips against hers as his restraint, which had been holding up surprisingly well, began to unravel. He groaned into her mouth and his body took over, moving with practiced determination as their lips tangled. He felt her hand grasp his ass encouragingly as the other ran over his back, still driving him crazy. Brennan's hips met him gamely with every thrust and his muscles coiled into tight springs. His impending orgasm was coming on as hard as a freight train and there was nothing he could do to slow it down. He felt every nerve in his body fire at once as he shot hotly into her, a silent gasp falling from his lips. His orgasm triggered her own and her core spasmed around him once again. They both buried themselves in the curve of the other's neck, their breathy pants warming the skin there as they tried to find solid ground once again. Booth finally managed to fall onto his back, a small whimper of objection coming from Brennan as she promptly snuggled up against him once more. He stared at the ceiling for a second, wondering what the hell had just happened between them as Brennan slid over top of him. She kissed the flesh over his heart and it clenched in response to the soft action. He wrapped his arms tightly around her back, holding her against him.

"Booth?" She let her gaze fall to the scar on his chest rather than look him in the eye.

"Hmm?" He ran a hand supportively over her back but still tensed underneath her at her words.

"I love you." She told him quietly, still entirely unsettled by confessing these sorts of words out loud. "I know I don't say it as much as I should." She informed him. "But I do love you and I want you to know that." He crooked a finger under her chin and pulled her a bit closer to him and kissed her softly.

"I know." He assured her, staring deep into her eyes once again.

"You do?" She asked. He nodded.

"And I always will." He promised. Now it was Brennan's turn to tense. He ran a hand up her arm, subconsciously trying to relax her. "Look, Bones, no matter what happens next, I will _always_ know that this was real." He stated the fact so certainly that Brennan couldn't help but believe him. "If it wasn't, you know, we wouldn't be feeling this way right now."

"Feeling what way?" She asked.

"Like being together, lying here like this forever, is a non-negotiable." He said as he stroked her back languidly.

"Forever is a long time." She stated vaguely, not giving away her opinion one way or the other.

"Yes it is." He agreed, feigning his own confidence in his statement, knowing that he had to be the one who had faith in them at the moment. She would undoubtedly return the favor soon.

"One of us is going to have to leave eventually to secure supplies." She stated and he smiled.

"You're a genius. I'm sure you'll figure something out." He said as he settled deeper into the mattress and pulled a blanket higher over them.

"Mm, and what will you bring to this arrangement?" She asked, settling in beside him.

"Didn't we just cover that?" He asked with a chuckle.


	12. I Never: Part II

A/N: Part two is finally done! There will be a Part three because I need it for my own sanity. Dedicated to Laffers18 for her constant hilarity and to Some1tookmyname who helped guide the direction of this when I was totally and absolutely lost on where to go next.

OOOOO

Booth stood raging for a minute before he realized the entire bar was alternating between staring at him and the door his partner had just stormed through. Angela grabbed her coat, wanting to chase after her, but Booth held up his hand.

"Let her go." He commanded, knowing she would want to be alone.

"No." Angela said. "We don't just let people on this team go, Booth." She reminded him softly as she headed out the door. Cam stopped and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked. Booth turned and gave her a look that could cut through glass. No, he absolutely was not fucking okay. She nodded, silently telling him she understood and that she would be around if he needed anything. When Booth finally turned back towards the table, Hannah was still sitting there quietly.

"Oh God, Hannah, I'm so sorry." He muttered as he recalled this was all new information to her. He rubbed his eyes. "You shouldn't have had to see… all that." She simply shrugged, unsure of what to say.

"You two clearly had some things you needed to get off your chests." She stated coldly.

"I'll explain everything later but can we please just, go home, before I do?" He requested. She nodded. Booth threw down a rather large tip and helped her into her coat. Now he just had to figure out what the hell he was going to say when they got there.

OOOOO

Brennan had managed to shake off Angela with a venomous look and the promise that she would call if she needed anything. Now, she was just pacing in her apartment, her anger dissipating slowly.

She knew almost immediately after the fight that nothing they had screamed at each other was inaccurate. She did put herself into cabs. He did ask for too much too quickly. They had both meant every single word that they had said.

That made it worse.

They had nothing to apologize for; except for, perhaps, the way that they said it.

There was a time when she wouldn't have even made it down the street without him running after her to make things right. He made no attempts to do so tonight, which meant that he probably believed everything that he had said just as much as she did. They were at an impasse.

OOOOO

Their apartment was silent to say the least. Booth wasn't sure there was something deeper than silence, but if so, there was a black hole of sound engulfing the entire building. He'd found himself glancing over at Hannah periodically on the drive home, wondering if she was the type to hold a grudge or scream when fighting. They'd never had a fight before. Still, when they got home she simply said there was nothing left to say and went about her business getting ready for bed. She'd brushed her teeth, changed her clothes and slipped silently between the sheets. Booth wasn't sure if she was sleeping now, but he wasn't about to walk in and find out. He'd stayed in the living room, wondering just how badly he had screwed things up with her. Brennan, on the other hand… Well, Brennan he couldn't even bring himself to think about.

OOOOO

Brennan glanced at the clock on her wall, giving up on the notion of sleep entirely. It was nearly two in the morning and if she wasn't asleep by now, she wasn't going to be sleeping at all. She stepped out onto her balcony, wanting some fresh air. She wrapped a blanket around her and watched the January snow sparkle in the moonlight. It was cold, but in a brisk way that made her feel better rather than worse. She felt his stare before she noticed where it was coming from. She glanced down at the parking lot and saw her guest spot, _his_ spot, was indeed taken. The chirp of a text arriving on her phone signaled that he had seen her too. She went back inside and read his message before sending a short one back.

_Come up._

She was standing on the balcony when the front door opened quietly. She took a step inside and shut the balcony door behind her.

"Should I have brought up the vests?" He asked, only half-joking as he stood in her entryway.

"I'm unarmed." She said, not answering his question either way. When she finally looked at him, she realized that he looked as tired as she felt. "Is there a reason you are sitting in my parking lot at two in the morning?"

"Couldn't sleep." He shrugged.

"And you thought stalking me might help?" She raised an eyebrow. "Does Hannah know where you are?" His silence spoke volumes. "Booth, what are you doing here?" She asked exasperatedly.

"I hate fighting with you." It was the best answer he could provide and she knew it.

"I don't like it very much either." She conceded. "But what is there to take back?" She asked. "You were right. I did instigate a sexual relationship with you, only to withdraw my offer. You wanted a relationship with me, only to withdraw your offer. I get in cabs to save us from ourselves and you are the Gambler." She shrugged. "There's nothing to make right here, Booth. We are what we are. We both should know that by now." Her voice was despondent and she made no attempts to sugarcoat the news.

"Those things? They may have been accurate but they weren't true." He reminded her of the difference. "When I asked you for more, I wanted it. I wanted you." He argued. "But you didn't feel the same way, and that's okay, but I'm not going to lie; it hurt, Bones." He spoke the words as if maybe it still hurt and Brennan frowned. "You tossed the idea of a relationship aside so quickly…" he paused, "I never thought that you would change your mind." He said simply. She stared at him, wondering if he realized what he had just started.

"I never." Her voice quivered, unsure if she was ready to fall into this trap again. "I never intended to make you feel like you were tossed aside." Brennan said, saddened that he would feel that way. "And I never said I didn't feel the same way." She argued. Booth bit his lip and finally looked up at her.

"I never thought that I'd love again after that." He confessed. Her heart broke and she looked down at her toes as her vision blurred at his broken words. "I never thought I'd have to." He added and the statement felt every bit the sad accusation he was throwing at her.

"I never learned how to erase lines that I didn't draw." He looked up at her in surprise and she saw him break a little as he finally began to understand her side of the story.

"I never wanted to keep you at arm's length, I just didn't know how to..." He didn't continue but she nodded anyway, understanding.

"I know. I know. I did it too." She acknowledged, hating herself for it as she turned around to look out the window once more.

"Bones?" He called to her so softly that she had to turn around to see his face. "I never wanted this." Brennan's heart began to race as she examined his eyes.

"Booth…" She warned, knowing that look all too well. She couldn't bear another blown moment between them. "I need you to stop and think about what you're saying." She said, letting him know that his impulsiveness was not welcomed at the moment. "You love Hannah, you…"

"Never expected her to show up on my doorstep!" He finished, the truth spilling out of him at last. They both stood in stunned silence as they stared at each other. "Yes, I loved her and yes, she was good for me but when I left Afghanistan, I never expected to see her again. Maybe it was a cop-out but I assumed that the long distance would just slowly separate us and we'd look back and remember it for what it was. The next thing I know, she's moving halfway across the world to live with me and hanging out with the group and it's..."

"Real?" She offered. He stood there staring at her and she could tell that it sounded strange, her offering advice on relationships. "Look," she started, changing the subject, "this is new for all of us. But if you love Hannah, then you and I, we'll find a way to make this work." She was sounding more confident than she should given the last few weeks.

"Is that what you want? To just keep making it work?" He asked. "We've been doing that for half a decade, Bones."

"Well, right now, it's the only option on the table." She said bluntly.

"What if that changed?" He asked hypothetically.

"You mean, what would happen if you broke up with Hannah?" She asked pointedly. "That decision is yours to make. I want no part of it." She said, refusing to let him use her as an excuse. He cursed as he ran his hands over his eyes, the reality of his situation hitting him.

"If I wanted to be with Hannah, I wouldn't be here right now." He confessed. "Jesus, Bones, it's three in the morning and I'm standing in your living room while my girlfriend is at home sleeping in my bed!" His arm was animatedly waving towards the invisible apartment as he spoke. "Don't you think that's a pretty big sign that something is wrong with this situation?"

"So go home!" She cried back. "Nothing can be fixed by standing here in my apartment." Booth took a step back and she wondered what she had said that had drawn such a surprised look from him.

"Bones, _everything_ can be fixed by being close to you." He informed her, that fact clearly aggravating him. "Even when the problem is you and me, I still come to you. It's when I try being away from you that everything goes to hell." Her pulse quickened again at his words and she realized that they were sliding into dangerous territory.

"Booth." She meant for the name to sound stern but it came out a bit raspier than she anticipated. "Please?" His eyes went a bit darker as he finally realized that she was barely holding on to her composure. It was nearly impossible for her to argue that they shouldn't be together right now when all she wanted was to hear him say that he was leaving Hannah and choosing her.

The tension in the air escalated almost instantly as he took a step forward and she silently begged for mercy as their eyes met.

"I'll call you tomorrow." He whispered the promise roughly. She didn't say a word as she watched him stride purposefully out the door.


	13. Sun showers

I feel obligated to say this every time but "AU. No babies!" This one's for _sunsetdreamer. Congrats, my dear!

OOOOO

Booth found her sitting on the steps of their new house, drenched to the bone.

"What are you doing out here?" He scolded. "You're going to catch..."

"You can't catch pneumonia from the rain, Booth." She interrupted, knowing exactly what he was going to say.

"So answer the first part of the question." He said as he shuttled her to the safety of the porch.

"I was just thinking. Enjoying the smell, the sensation, of standing in the rain."

"Have you lost your damn mind?" He asked her bluntly. She just grinned.

"Rain reminds me of you." She said coyly, hoping to distract him.

"Does it now?" She nodded and bit her lip a little nervously. He furrowed his eyebrow. She was being serious.

"Remember the first time we kissed?" She asked, playing to his sense of nostalgia. "It was raining." The corner of his mouth twitched up at the memory. "And when I was in Indonesia, and it'd rain on the beach, I would go walking out there and think about you and what you were doing. I would imagine us together, like in the book I wrote for you, but my version."

"Was it like this?" He asked as he pulled her closer to him.

"Nothing is like this." She said honestly and his heart dissolved in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and swept her up in a tangled mass of limbs. They made it as far as the front door before being forced to separate, at least a little. One of her hands made it to the doorknob and they fell inside.

He barely registered the sound of the door closing as she began to pull her wet clothes off, right there in the entryway of their house. His mouth covered her skin in reverent kisses and she tasted like the rain that had just washed her clean.

Before he knew what was happening, she was pressing him down onto the wood floors and crawling on top of him. Her skin felt cold to the touch but for the molten heat sliding over his throbbing erection. The dichotomy of the sensations drove him wild and his hands clutched her hips harder in restraint. Brennan let out a low moan in pleasure at the action and rode him a bit faster. She leaned forward, pressing one hand into the floorboards and making his eyes cross at the new angle.

"Oh yes..." She cried as she began to move faster and faster. He wanted to watch as her orgasm tore through her, loving the sight of her coming undone, but he was coming undone himself, spiraling through their orgasms together. She collapsed into his chest and he gently rolled them over so that he was on top. She looked up at him with the bluest eyes he had ever seen and he could swear they sparkled like rain in a sun shower.


	14. RIP Ripley

A/N: I have always wanted to write this but I have never found a reason. Now, I don't need a reason!

OOOOO

"_He reminds me of you."_

"_Me?"_

"_He's got warm and reassuring brown eyes and he's capable of great violence."_

OOOOO

Brennan began her speech reluctantly, but she was an author and she knew her way around words. She just had to channel that part of herself now. She took a deep breath and held out her arms, hoping inspiration would come to her.

"On behalf of human kind, Universe, I'd like to apologize for what happened for Ripley. He was born a cute little puppy and then the people who adopted him wanted to kill him because they were too stupid to realize that he would grow into a big dog." She looked tentatively at Booth, wondering if what she was doing was correct.

"That's good." Booth encouraged. She nodded and her eyes filled with tears as she looked into those warm, brown, reassuring eyes. Suddenly, she wasn't just apologizing for what happened to Ripley. She was apologizing for what happened to Booth. He hadn't done anything to deserve that bullet, the one meant for her. She would have given anything to have taken it instead.

"Ripley was a good dog." She stated. "He didn't want to fight but he did it to please his master. You know, he didn't want to attack a human being but he did it to please his master." She swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked at Booth. He was a good man, who was just doing what he was taught to do by people he trusted. Yet, every once in a while, she saw the toll that the violence took. She saw the ghosts that haunted him. He too was unfairly used as a murder weapon by a higher power and she hated the thought that Ripley might have felt the guilt that Booth felt on a daily basis.

"You know, it wasn't Ripley's fault that his master was cruel and selfish." Booth looked down at the ground and she wondered if he was thinking about himself. "Like all dogs, Ripley only saw the good in people." Saw the good in her, she added mentally. He had been sweet and kind to her. Booth was like that. He saw the good in her, and in everyone. "Dogs are like that." She edited her thought. "People should take a lesson." She added as she set the dog tag into the mud and pressed it down into the ground with the shovel.

"Is that enough?" She asked, unable to go on.

"Yeah." Booth nodded. "As much as any good dog, hey," he said as she felt his hand on her back, "could hope for. Even with limited vocabulary skills, okay?" He said. She trusted his opinion and laid her head sadly down on his shoulder. He put one hand on the shovel and wrapped the other arm around her in a hug.


	15. Resplendent

A/N: This one is dedicated to the people who make us happy when we are feeling crabby and/or morose. I've got a few of those people on this site! So thank you all.

OOOOO

His eyes were resplendent as she waited with baited breath for his response to the reveal. A large smile spread over his face and she let herself smile a little back.

"I can't…" He stumbled over himself as he tried to find the words. "I mean, you look…."

"Thank you." She smiled. "You look very handsome." She said as she brushed imaginary dust off his shoulder. His grin grew wider and he shook his head, trying to pull himself together.

"Wow. Okay, so we're really doing this." He stated as it all began to sink in.

"Yes. We are." She chuckled. "Are you nervous?" She asked as she saw him fidget.

"A little. Is that weird?" He asked, an insecure look popping up for a moment on his face.

"No. I think it's sweet." She smiled. The photographer finished taking her candid photos and began staging the couple to get some more shots together.

"Beautiful couple." She grinned. "How long have you been together again?" She asked as she captured their wide grins.

"Fifteen years." Booth answered.

"A year." Brennan replied. They both paused and laughed. "We've been partners for fifteen years, married for one." Brennan clarified.

"We got married quickly and didn't really have time to plan anything, let alone invite people. Now we're going back and doing the big thing for our first anniversary." He added.

"That's so romantic." The photographer grinned as she kept shooting.

"Remind the Maid of Honor that when you see her." Booth grinned at Brennan. "She was rather put out she missed the first one."

"After fourteen years? Who could blame her?" She smirked as she tilted her head and snapped another photo. "One with the flowers." She decided as she sent the intern to fetch Brennan's bouquet.

"I can't get over how gorgeous you look." Booth whispered in her ear as Brennan waited for her flowers. "You're breath-taking. When you walked out, I swore I was going to pass out right on the spot." She rolled her eyes at his overdramatic statement but when she looked into his eyes, she realized that he was being serious. "It was like walking into that classroom all over again." Brennan felt her throat tighten and she cleared it as the intern brought her bouquet over.

"Alright, here you go." The photographer said as she arranged them anew. "Now, look into each other's eyes for me." Brennan did as she was told and they were caught in a sizzle of electricity and love and passion.

"It's a good thing we don't use film anymore, because they'd burn a hole right through it." She muttered to the intern as she brought up a picture on her camera's display and showed it to him.

A groom was whispering in his bride's ear, her eyes cast down as she listened carefully to whatever he was sharing, her long dark eyelashes contrasting with her delicately pale skin in the black and white shot. It was clearly stolen from a private moment between the two, but the intimacy in the photograph spoke volumes.

"Um, guys?" Booth questioned as the photographers looked up. "I hate to move things along but I've waited fifteen years for this moment so, how much longer is this going to take?" They both chuckled at his antsy face.

"I think if we took any more like that last one, the camera would overheat and die. There is no denying you two were made for each other. I've got the proof right here." She assured him as she waved the camera in the air. Booth and Brennan looked at each other and smiled, but for different reasons.

She had found her proof in him; his fate had revealed itself through her.

And that picture hung on their bedroom wall for the next fifty years.


	16. Portraits

**A/N: Early, early season one. This quote comes from the movie 'A Love Song for Bobby Long'. It's very Bones-y.**

OOOOO

"_I like the way bones look on a light box. You know, they're like, portraits, but on the inside."_

OOOOO

Angela was nearly done with her drawing when a light knock on her window stirred her from her task. She looked up to see Booth waving at her. She motioned for him to come in from the hallway.

"Hey, what are you doing here so late?" She asked.

"Finishing the paperwork for the case with Brennan." He said. "I was on my way out but I saw your light on." He said. "What are you up to?"

"Sketching." She said as she held out her sketch pad. "It lets me clear my mind after a bad day."

"Yeah, it was a rough day for all of us." He stated. "I had to talk to the parents again this afternoon. These kid cases never get any easier."

"Good. They shouldn't." She said seriously. Booth smiled softly at her wisdom.

"I like talking to you, Angela. You give this metal box some much needed humanity." Booth said as the toe of his shoe lightly kicked the metal door jam. Angela shook her head.

"If you think that's the problem, then you haven't worked with Brennan long enough." She murmured honestly. Booth looked up at her in surprise.

"What do you mean?" He asked. Angela paused to find her words.

"When you and I look at a skeleton, we see a pile of bones on a cold steel table." Booth nodded. "But when Brennan looks at a skeleton, she sees that person's biography." Angela said quietly. "She sees every single painful thing that person has ever gone through."

"Hobbies, broken bones, make and model of cars owned..." Booth recalled. "It still blows my mind."

"Right. Now take all of that knowledge and focus it on the bodies of children killed during the genocide in Rwanda or in Guatemala." Booth looked sick and shook his head, not wanting to even think about it. "The skeletons scream to her, Booth. Every one. That feeling you get when you talk to parents? She gets that feeling every time she looks at a bone. But she can't let it affect her or she'd never be able to do her job so she had to learn to filter the noise, to only let the scientific, relevant information in."

"It's a weapons-grade defense mechanism." Booth nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, and you and me? We're blowing a hole right through the middle of it." Angela said sincerely. Booth pondered that statement and was about to speak when they heard her footsteps coming down the hallway.

"Hey, what are you guys still doing here?" Brennan asked as she peeked into the office.

"I guess none of us want to be home alone right now." Angela said with a sigh. "Hey, let's go get a drink or something. You know, just…talk about something else for a while." She offered.

"Great idea." Booth answered gratefully. "The first round is on me. Come on, let's go." He said as he reached out for her hand and Angela stood up.

"You two go. I think I'm just going to go home. I'm exhausted." Brennan said.

"Are you sure?" Booth asked. "You don't want any company?"

"Yeah, it's been a long day. I think I just need some peace and quiet for a while." Booth glanced at Angela, who gave him a knowing look.

"Alright Sweetie, but if you need anything…"

"Yeah. Anything at all." Booth replied quickly. Brennan gave them both a curious look, wondering why they would be concerned for her.

"I think I can manage." She assured them both, her tone showing a tiny but sarcastic bit of rebellion against their condescension. They both backed off and she realized that they were genuinely concerned. "Hey, but thanks for the offer though." She added more sincerely.

"Don't worry about it. Some nights, you know, you just want to stay in." Booth said as he escorted her to the door. "I get it." His hand on the small of her back seemed to convey perfectly that Booth understood. She wondered how he did that. "Go home. I'll make sure Angela stays out of trouble." He smiled.

"He clearly has no idea what he's in for." Angela whispered as she walked past the pair. "Hey Booth, is your girlfriend expecting you home at a decent hour?" She asked the agent.

"Yes." He answered immediately.

"Then you might want to call her and give her the bad news now." Booth rolled his eyes and pulled out his cell phone.

"It's not too late to sign up for the peace and quiet thing, is it?" He asked his partner. Brennan nodded sadly.

"Try and go easy on him." Brennan asked Angela. "I need him in working order tomorrow."

"I make no promises." Angela grinned playfully.


	17. I Never Part III

A/N: I Never Part III! Remember this? It's finally done! Lo siento. It's been a rough go of it on the muse front lately. But the last two months of the year are a very busy writing time for me so I've got to start getting back in the swing of writing!

OOOOO

Booth had promised to call the next day but Brennan realized now that he had been quite unspecific on what time that would be. When he left her apartment, he had looked so, she searched for the right word, driven? She had just assumed that he would call right away the next morning. Still, she had yet to hear from him.

Throughout her morning yoga session, she had focused on what he had meant by tomorrow. He had left at three in the morning, but it wasn't like him to be precise enough to mean Sunday. He must have meant Saturday as neither one of them had slept yet.

That afternoon, as she made enough lunch for two, (just in case) she pondered what would happen when he finally called. What would he say? Would he still be with Hannah or would he be single? If he were single, would he want to be with her?

By 6:30, she had had enough. She reached for her phone and stared at it one more time before opening her calendar. There was a forensics lecture that night at American and, while she had no interest in hearing the speaker, she figured it was better than sitting around her apartment.

Twenty minutes later, she was following the signs to the auditorium and found herself standing in front of doors she knew all too well.

She had been there several times since then, both to speak and to attend lectures and she usually smiled at the memory.

_Do you believe in fate?_

His question, which she had found so strangely intriguing back then, only served to annoy her now.

She slipped through the doors of the classroom and took a seat in the back row. The speaker had already started and Brennan made it thirty seconds before rolling her eyes. She began jotting down her arguments as well as citing all of the facts that confirmed her opinion. This was already a waste of her time but if she had to take her mind off of Booth, incompetent forensics was as good as any other distraction. Her phone lit up in her purse and she glanced down at the number.

It was him.

Part of her debated answering, but she had to know. She stood back up and slipped into the hallway.

"Hello?" She whispered.

"Bones? Are you okay? Why are you whispering?" Booth asked, his own voice lowering to match hers.

"I was in a lecture." She explained. "I'm standing in the hallway." She explained.

"Oh right. At American." He recalled and she stared at her phone.

"How do you know that?" She asked, looking around.

"You gave me viewing permissions for your calendar like, four years ago, Bones." He reminded her.

"Oh. Right." She said. "And you check it?"

"Hey, if I have a dead body on my hands and I don't hunt you down immediately, you get cranky, alright? I do what I can to limit that." He defended.

"Do you?" She asked.

"Do I what?"

"Have a body."

"No." This was Brennan's first clue that something had changed. He hadn't called her outside of work in a long time.

"Okay, so if I'm at American, where are you?" She asked, trying to figure out the puzzle.

"I'm on my way to rescue you." He told her.

"Rescue me?" She mocked his choice of words.

"Well, you don't want to stay _there_, do you?"

"I came, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but if there was even a chance that you were interested in staying, you wouldn't have answered your phone. The speaker must be a total loser." He chuckled. "What building are you in?"

"Guess." She said, her heart beating a bit faster at her impromptu dare. She didn't even know where the word came from but it spilled from her lips before she could think.

"Guess?" He was just as shocked by her challenge as she was.

"If you know me and my schedule so well, you should know exactly where I am." She reasoned before ending the call. She knew that her calendar app had the hall number in the details but if he was going to be playful, then so was she. Not two minutes later, the door to the building opened and Booth came strolling leisurely in. She fought a smile as he walked towards her.

"You have got to stop calling me from parking lots." She said. "Twice in 24 hours? If it happens again, I'm going to get a restraining order." She said firmly.

"Eh, I found you." He shrugged.

"Took you long enough." She muttered before the filter in her brain kicked in. Booth's face looked serious for a minute and he nodded.

"I'm sorry." He said. "It took a while to get things, you know…" She shook her head. She absolutely didn't know. "Organized. Packed. Moved out." He finished.

"Hannah's gone?" Brennan tried to process that sentence but it felt strange even as she spoke it.

"Yeah. We both agreed it was the right thing to do." He replied. Brennan's hand began to move to comfort him just as a smattering of applause came from the classroom. "Looks like the class has ended." He commented as the first people began pushing through the doors and into the hallway.

"Yeah." Brennan nodded as she took her hand back.

"Wait…" Booth said as he walked over to the door and held it open for the crowd. "Bones! This is the place!"

"The place?" She questioned but smirked at his excitement.

"The very first place we met!" He said as he made his way into the classroom despite the crowds going the opposite direction. Brennan had the sense to wait for the rest of the students to leave before entering. "I mean, come on. How do you not believe in fate now?" He said as he spread his arms out wide in the very aisle he had once walked down to meet her.

"You found the city's only forensic anthropologist at a forensics lecture in a forensics lecture hall. Chances were good." She rolled her eyes.

"Have you been here since then?" He asked her.

"Several times." She nodded.

"Well I haven't." He argued.

"That's because you hate science."

"Not your science." He offered sincerely and she felt her heart skip a beat. She looked down at the ground to hide her blush.

"That feels like a lifetime ago." She murmured as the memories filled her brain.

"Hey Bones." Booth pulled her from her thoughts, wanting her attention. She looked up and realized he had moved to within a foot of her. "I'm sorry. I don't think I told you that last night, but I am. For everything."

"Me too." She watched as he looked around the room with a contemplative look on his face. Her curiosity was itching to inquire after his own thoughts but she let him keep them to himself. When he finally turned to look at her again, he looked sad.

"You know, I didn't even know you back then. You were just this woman who couldn't be shaken. You were fearless." He looked at the stage as if he could see it replaying in his mind as well. "I just walked into your class, interrupting everything, asking you questions that undermined your entire profession and you just looked me square in the eye and told me I was wrong." He grinned at her audacity, even now. "God, we really did get off on the wrong foot, didn't we?" He acknowledged.

Brennan shrugged. "We found our footing eventually."

"Do you think," he paused hesitantly, "do you think we'll find it again?" He finally asked. She took the question for what it was and nodded.

"I think so."

"How do you know?" He asked, wanting to borrow some of her proof.

"We've always figured it out before. Even when it made more sense to go our separate ways, we still managed to find a way to work together until we were in a stronger place again." Booth remained silent and his apparent skepticism at her statement made her nervous. "Do you disagree?" She asked him. He shrugged a no, but it wasn't reassuring.

"I want to have faith in us again." He said honestly. "I just, I don't know where to start. I mean, we did a lot of damage, Bones. How do we fix an entire year?" He added softly.

"The same way I reassemble a bone or you start solving a case, one piece at a time." She explained. Booth smiled softly at her answer and nodded.

"New year, new path?" He offered as he held out a hand.

"Deal." She nodded and shook his hand, making her pact with him.

"This is a little weird." He said as he looked around one more time. "It's kinda like returning to the place we met and renewing our vows." He said and she laughed.

"Hey." Brennan poked him in the arm. "You're the one who believes in fate." She reminded him.

"Yes I am." Booth nodded. "Don't you?" He asked with a grin, already knowing her answer.

"Absolutely not." She repeated her answer from years before.

"Ludicrous." He shook his head.

"I'm ludicrous?" She repeated as she pointed at herself.

"Totally. One hundred percent ludicrous." He stated as he headed for the door, still shaking his head.

"Hey, I thought you were going to start being nice to me again." She teased as she followed him into the hallway.

"I told you we'd get back to normal. I never promised to be nice."

"The old Booth would have been nice to me." She pouted.

"Yeah," Booth confessed reluctantly, "but just between you and me? He was trying to sleep with you." He stage whispered as he turned around and pushed the door open with his back and stood there, holding it open for her. She paused and inwardly grinned at his final acceptance of the truth. If only everyone else had been there to witness it, she would have been truly vindicated. Still, she would take what she could get.

"Well, you know what they say: admitting it is the first step." She patted his arm as she walked through the open door.


	18. The Kids in the Future

AN: A JP Fic for Jenlovesbones! She only asked that I incorporate the following words and phrases into a less than 4,000 word fic: Lollipop, Rutabaga, Syphilis, Parliament, The Wizard of Oz, George Washington, Applesauce, Femur, and Bazooka. And I was all 'Pfft, I got this. Snippets FTW'.

PS: Thanks to the lovely Razztaztic for letting me borrow lil' genius Zach from her Roots and Wings series. You should read it! Here we go:

OOOOO

_Rainbows and Red Shoes_

"Mommy, I need red sparkle shoes!" Christine demanded as she danced around the living room pretending she was Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. Her pink princess costume dress was over her regular clothes and her tiara was dangling precariously on the top of her blonde curls.

"I thought you were being the Good Witch." Booth pointed out. "Didn't the Bad Witch have the red shoes?"

"I can be a Good Witch and have shiny shoes at the same time." Christine informed him and Brennan nearly spit her coffee all over the couch. As she began to choke, Booth looked at her like she was crazy.

"You want the shoes because they're shiny?" Brennan clarified.

"Yes. They're so pretty and they sparkle and they are magic and I could fly!" She rambled. Brennan smiled a wide smile at Booth.

"She is your daughter through and through." She informed him.

"Because she believes in magic?" Booth asked.

"I could call you Shoes." She whispered conspiratorially. "Because they are so very shiny." She said as she nodded her head towards Booth's own feet. The memory surprised Booth. He hadn't heard that sentence since she had uttered it so many years ago. He stopped and stared at her before shaking his head.

"Shoes." He muttered. "Of all the things to pick up on." Brennan laughed at his face and Christine took notice.

"Mommy, what's funny?" She asked as she climbed up in between them, clearly upset that she was no longer the center of attention.

"We were just remembering a conversation we had a long time ago."

"Last week?"

"Yes." Booth said as he picked her up and put her on his lap. "Last week." Christine giggled as he tickled her briefly.

"Can I have them?" She asked her father.

"What?" Booth asked playing dumb.

"The shoes!" She cried.

"Absolutely not." Booth said with a stern shake of his head. "If we gave you magic shoes, you would fly away and we would miss you too much. No, we're keeping you here at home forever."

"Nu-uh. The shoes fly home too."

"What if a house landed on your head while you were flying around?" Booth asked. "Then we'd be so sad."

"Daddy, houses don't really fly." Booth looked at Brennan and rolled his eyes.

"That's the one piece of reality she picks out of that movie?"

"At least we got that much." Brennan said seriously.

OOOOO

_Candy Questions_

"Daddy? Why are lollipops round?" Christine asked as she scrutinized the sticky, wet, piece of candy in her hand.

"Because." Booth replied as he spoon-fed his son applesauce.

"Cuz why?"

"Because that's the way the inventor wanted them." He answered, thinking that would quell the questions.

"Who invented them?"

"Someone a long time ago."

"When?"

"I'm not sure, Babe." He said as he wiped some stray applesauce off his hand with a rag.

"Why not?" She asked. Booth heaved a heavy sigh and set down his spoon in defeat.

"Hey! You know who is an expert in lollipops?!" He said excitedly.

"Who?" She asked, suddenly paying attention.

"Mommy!"

"Really?" She asked wide-eyed.

"Mmhm. Why don't you go ask her?" He encouraged.

"Kay." Christine said as she hopped down from the kitchen chair.

"And no running with candy in your mouth!" He yelled after her. "We don't want her to choke and get out of bothering Mommy with all of her questions, right Buddy?" He whispered to Zach, who simply smiled happily from his high chair.

OOOOO

_Booth, the Boys, and the three Bs_

When Brennan arrived home from the grocery store on Saturday morning, Booth was waiting at the front door.

"Hi." Brennan said as she nearly ran him over. She gave him a quick kiss and set down the bag of groceries in her hand.

"Hey, quick question for you. How long was Zach at the lab with you yesterday?" Booth asked his wife with a tight smile.

"For about half an hour. Why?" She answered as she looked him up and down. "What…? Why are you gripping my arm like that?" She asked as Booth strode purposefully towards the kitchen with her in tow. She came across the scene that had Booth in a tizzy. Zach was recounting his tales from the previous day's visit to the lab to Michael Hodgins, including crayon drawings of the grotesque skeleton rotting in the ground.

"And then, the femur and the tibia, those are the leg bones, they were all rotted because the soldier had syphilis and died. So they buried him in the field where they were fighting …." Zach paused only to acknowledge his parents' entrance. "Oh, hey Mom. So they buried him in the ground, right there in the field!" He said as he circled the crayon drawn grave. "And then the Jeffersonian only just found him in Virginia yesterday."

"Cool." Michael said as he looked at the rudimentary sketch that the five year old had drawn. "I bet my dad found lots of insects and pollen. He loves outdoor bodies."

"Oh yeah. He was real excited." Zach nodded.

Brennan was smiling at the adorable enthusiasm when she finally turned to look at Booth. The scowl on his face dissolved her smile as he nodded curtly to the laundry room: their impromptu conference room whenever they needed privacy.

"What's wrong?" She asked as he shut the door behind him.

"Do you really think that a dead, decayed body riddled with syphilis is appropriate conversation for elementary school kids?" He whispered. Brennan bit back a smile.

"This is like the time Parker brought home that toy bazooka with his action figure and asked you if you could teach him how to shoot a real one, isn't it?" She acknowledged.

"Something like that." He nodded. "They're kids, Bones. We made a pact to try and shield them from our work, not talk about it at home, keep it in the lab."

"We do." She said. "But they're also _our _kids, Booth. Little boys want to grow up to be just like their parents and in this case, that requires a fundamental understanding of bodies, botany, and bulletproof vests. It's only going to get worse as they get older so we might as well embrace it now." Booth sighed.

"Fine, but when the first parent or teacher calls to complain, you get to handle it." He said, taking no responsibility for what the outside world thought of their group of pint-sized squints.

OOOOO

_An Eighth-Life Crisis_

"Okay, last one." Booth said as he glanced down at the flashcard in his hand. "Fairfax County Resolves."

"In July 1774, George Washington and George Mason wrote the Fairfax County Resolves which protested the "Intolerable Acts" by the British Parliament, stemming from the Boston Tea Party in December 1773."

"Good." Booth smiled. "I think you're ready." Christine sighed and grabbed the stack of note cards again, not believing that statement. "Hey, you just aced that entire stack. What's wrong?"

"I need to do well on this test." She repeated for the tenth time.

"You will." Booth said. "You know this stuff like the back of your hand. Now you just need to relax and not stress too much."

"I know…I just…"

"What?"

"I'm getting a B+ in History." She confessed quietly.

"Yeah, so?" Booth asked, knowing there had to be more.

"I'm getting a B+!" She said, as if he hadn't heard her correctly. "And I _hate_ being the stupidest person in this family." Booth felt his heart sink into his stomach. With her mother's genetic predisposition to perfectionism and his insecurity, he probably should have seen this one coming but it still cut him to the quick to hear his daughter talk about herself that way.

"Hey." He furrowed his eyebrows in concern as he took her flashcards away. "You are in no way stupid. And if that's your measuring stick, you can be sure that a B+ in History is higher than anything I ever saw." He said seriously. She sighed again.

"Is Mom disappointed that I'm not gifted like Zach?" She asked quietly. "I mean, I'm her first kid and she had all these hopes that I would be a genius or have a talent and she puts me in these fancy private schools where everyone gets perfect averages and I'm just, you know, me."

"Hey, there is no 'just' with you." Booth said honestly. "You are perfect. And don't roll your eyes, I'm serious. We wouldn't want you any other way. I can't explain it to you just yet but you just have to trust me that I'm not lying. We love you unconditionally and we wouldn't change a single hair on your head. In fact, you better be thankful Mom's not home right now or she'd kick your ass if she heard you talking like this." Christine bit back a smile at hearing her father openly swearing in front of her.

"I get it, trust me, I do. When I first started working with the Jeffersonian, you can't even begin to understand how stupid I felt. I was surrounded by quite literally the smartest people in their fields at the time. Being in this group, in this family, it requires a little perspective. No one matches them."

"You were the best in your field too." She reminded him.

"Yeah, but my field wasn't intelligence." He replied.

"You were still the best. I'm never going to be the best in anything."

"You're 13! You don't even have a real personality yet! Be a kid, talk to your friends about your crushes, play with makeup, drive me crazy with worry every weekend. You've got all the time in the world, kid. You don't have to worry about finding your way, it will find you. I promise."

"You think so?"

"I know so. You are so far ahead of where I was at your age, even where your mother was. You're comparing yourself to fully grown adults. And your brother? He can barely remember to brush his teeth every day." He smiled. "I wouldn't worry about him either."

"I guess."

"And I promise you, no one will ever ask you what grade you got in 8th grade History. You won't even remember that this was a concern a year from now. Okay?" Christine nodded. "Good, now I love you and I would do anything for you but can we please put down the cards and go raid the kitchen? I'm starving." Booth begged.

"Fine." She relented as he pulled her up off the couch.

"Thank you." He said gratefully.

"Thanks for helping me study." She replied.

"Any time, and I mean that." He assured her. "Ha, this one time? Parker called me from college at 3 am because his roommate had locked him out of his dorm room and he wanted me to walk him through picking a lock with a safety pin he found in the hallway." Booth recalled.

"Seriously?" Christine laughed. "Did it work?"

"Nope. He had to wake up his RA and pay $10 to get let back in." Booth chuckled at the memory. "Don't call him for black ops." He whispered.

"Noted." She smiled.

_OOOOO_

_Sacrifices_

"What is this?" Zach asked as he poked at his plate.

"Mashed rutabaga." Brennan said. "It's just like mashed potatoes and you love those." She defended before heading back into the kitchen.

"And this?" Christine asked as she picked up something that might have at one time been boiled, but certainly wasn't actual meat.

"Vegan something, something…" Parker informed her.

"It looks disgusting." Christine said as she set down her fork.

"It looks like Jell-o!" Zach snickered gleefully at his older sister's pain.

"Just try it once and if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it." Booth whispered back.

"I don't think I can." She confessed. "Do I chew it? Slurp it?" She asked honestly.

"As a grown man, and not technically a blood relative to any of the parties involved in this sad affair, I get a pass on this one, right?" Parker clarified as he waved his hand over his plate.

"Not helping." Booth glared at the traitor to his right.

"Come on, Dad. How long can this phase last? She's running out of ways to ruin perfectly good vegetables." Parker winced. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when I'd miss dorm food."

"Bones is going through a hard time, okay? Max just died and she's looking for projects. Be grateful she's just cooking new foods and not dragging us all to a dig on a deserted island somewhere."

"Do we have anything left over from all the funeral food the neighbors brought?" Christine asked.

"Guys, please?" Booth begged. "We do things for family, alright? Even if that means eating two bites of mashed rutabaga without complaint." He said with a glance towards Zach. "And once we get through this meal in one piece, I'll order us a pizza. Promise."

"What do you think?" Brennan asked as she came back in. "Pretty delicious, right? And it's so good for you." She grinned.

"Yeah, great."

"Super."

"So healthy." They all chimed in unison with fake smiles plastered on their faces.

"Wait until you see what's for dessert." Brennan grinned. The entire table turned and gave Booth the same panicked stare, but he just kept smiling and nodding.

"Can't wait." He managed between his tight smile. Just then, Parker felt a piece of plastic slide surreptitiously into his palm beneath the table.

"The works." Booth ordered through the same smile. "And for God's sake, hurry."


End file.
